"I am the daughter of the Northwest King, entitled to choose any man from the imperial family. Even if I were to say this before His Majesty himself, I would dare to speak these words. Do you believe me, Your Highness Prince Lie?"
Shen Xihe shed her usual delicate and gentle demeanor. Though her tone remained light, her misty eyes, hazy like cold smoke, now radiated boundless arrogance—so much so that she abandoned even humble self-references.
Surprisingly, Xiao Changying grew calm instead. His deep, midnight-black eyes suddenly brimmed with endless amusement and intrigue. "Shen Xihe, regardless of why you appeared here or what your purpose may be, you have truly captured my interest. I refuse to believe there exists a woman in this world beyond my reach."
"Would Your Highness release my hand first?" Shen Xihe's gaze fell upon Xiao Changying's grip.
Her flowing sleeve slipped down, revealing her bandaged arm. Xiao Changying's eyes flickered faintly, vaguely recalling the previous night's events—how his fingers had dug into her delicate wrist. His gaze softened slightly, and he released her.
Freed, Shen Xihe let her hand drop naturally. "Even someone as exalted as His Majesty cannot possess everything in this world. Remember this, Your Highness Prince Lie, for I shall say it only once: Shen Xihe is destined to be the woman you could never obtain, even if you exhaust your entire life. Pray do not set your heart upon me."
Having spoken, she departed without granting Xiao Changying another glance.
...
Incense smoke curled upward in gentle spirals.
A thin haze enveloped Shen Xihe's smooth, alabaster complexion, rendering her peerless beauty elusive and indistinct through the hazy veil.
Mo Yuan entered, observing Shen Xihe calmly tuning her zither strings behind the desk. Her composed demeanor inspired awe within him.
"Is it done?" Shen Xihe asked without looking up, lightly plucking a string.
"Your Ladyship, I have ordered the evidence delivered securely into the Crown Prince's hands," Mo Yuan replied promptly with bowed reverence. "The Governor of Changsha Commandery is also en route and should arrive within half an hour."
"Zhenzhu, how fare the preparations?" Shen Xihe pressed her slender, soft hands gently against the strings and glanced toward the deferential maid.
"Reporting to Your Ladyship, all has been packed. We may depart at any time."
Shen Xihe commanded, "Give the order. We depart in half an hour."
"Acknowledged." Zhenzhu assented with a bow before withdrawing.
"Your Ladyship." Mo Yuan ventured after Zhenzhu's departure.
"What is it?" Shen Xihe inquired, turning her head slightly.
That profile, emerging softly from the dim light like a full moon peeking through thick clouds, appeared luminous and serene.
Mo Yuan lowered his head. "By delivering that item to the Crown Prince—though I exercised utmost caution—your rescue of Prince Lie cannot remain concealed. I fear once the Crown Prince receives the evidence, he will know it came from you. First, you earned Prince Lie's gratitude through saving him; now, you extend goodwill to the Crown Prince. I worry... I worry..."
"You worry I'm playing both sides and will end up with nothing?" Though Mo Yuan dared not voice it aloud, Shen Xihe's sharp intellect grasped his meaning instantly. "I merely wish to see if the Crown Prince warrants further effort and time. As for Prince Lie... isn't it better to let him misunderstand?"
Shen Yueshan had orchestrated this drama of a beauty rescuing a hero, yet she held Xiao Changying in contempt. Now, Xiao Changying remained smugly convinced she was merely playing hard to get.Then let him discover that the thing he desperately tried to protect has long disappeared. Who else could have done it?
But without evidence, what can he do to her?
He will realize that she came for his possession, not for him. It's better to draw a clear line early.
"Princess, if this continues, we may become enemies with Prince Lie!" Mo Yuan said anxiously.
As the daughter of the Northwest King, Shen Xihe had always stayed away from court politics, remaining detached from the shifting tides of power. Yet she had stolen the evidence Prince Lie had painstakingly obtained, sending him a clear message.
Someone behind Shen Xihe needed it!
Considering why Shen Xihe had come to the capital,
it wouldn't be hard for Prince Lie to deduce that Shen Yueshan had already chosen a prince as her ideal husband... "Enemies?" Shen Xihe smiled indifferently. "It was bound to happen sooner or later."
Her right fingertips gracefully plucked the strings, and an elegant, ethereal, and soothing melody flowed from her hands, instantly calming the listener's mind.
However, before Mo Yuan and Xiao Changying, separated by a wall, could fully immerse themselves in the music, Shen Xihe's wrist turned, and the melody suddenly became profound, majestic, and resonant, like the tolling of bells.
The momentum surged like a thousand troops trampling on heartstrings, tightening one's nerves as if they might snap at any moment.
Just as the listeners held their breath, Shen Xihe's fingertips lightly traced the strings, producing a delicate, soft, and slightly melancholic tune, reminiscent of a wanderer's lament, drifting away with a sense of confusion.
Long after the song ended, those who heard it remained lost in thought.
"The qin is an instrument of elegance and should not be left idle." Shen Xihe stood up, her light steps causing her long skirt to sway gracefully. "The qin is like a person. If left unused for too long, one forgets how to play it. But with daily practice, it becomes more and more familiar. It's been a while since I last played, and I've grown rusty."
In the neighboring courtyard, a nimble figure silently slipped into Xiao Changying's room and knelt on one knee before the bed. "Your Highness, this subordinate is late. Please punish me."
Xiao Changying was lying on the bed with one leg bent and his head resting on his hand, still savoring Shen Xihe's earlier qin performance.
The qin has three tones—heaven, earth, and human—and few could blend them so seamlessly, creating a harmonious flow with every transition perfectly timed.
"Rise. This is not your fault. I was careless." If even he had been forced to let go of the item, his subordinates couldn't have easily found him. "Did you retrieve it?"
The subordinate bowed deeply. "Your Highness, the place marked by your secret sign has been dug up, and the item is gone."
Xiao Changying abruptly sat up, ignoring the pain from his wound. "What did you say?"
The subordinate trembled, burying his head deeper. "Someone took it before us. As for who it was, this subordinate has failed to uncover their identity."
Xiao Changying's fist clenched suddenly, his dark eyes growing colder and more intense. He let out a cold laugh. "Hah, I truly underestimated her."
He strode unsteadily from the bed, his steps weak but urgent, and hurried outside. Ignoring the newly arrived governor of Changsha Commandery, he rushed to the main gate, only to find the courtyard mostly empty.All that could be seen was the distant silhouette of Shen Xihe's procession. The melody she had just played on the zither was merely a cover for the sounds of moving luggage, allowing her to depart while he remained completely unaware.
The dust stirred by the galloping hooves had yet to settle. It seemed to drift into Xiao Changying's eyes, casting a terrifying gloom over his gaze.
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